Partition structure



Jan. 14, 1936. l J. PAGE 2,027,784

" PARTITION STRUCTURE Filed April 26, 1954 5 Sheets-*Sheet 1 W0 v Af/ ATTonNEYs Javn. 14, 1936'. J, PAGE 2,027,784

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47n INVENToR Jol-4N PA GE W1, M/ATTORNEYS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 J. PAGE PARTITION STRUCTURE Jan, 14, 1936.

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Jan. 14, 1936. J, PAGE 2,027,784

` PARTITION STRUCTURE Filed April 26, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR JOHN PAGE.

QM/m7@ B Mor-MTTORNE Patented .lm-14. 1936 UNITED sTTEs PATENT 4Iori-1c l PARTITION STRUCTURE John Page, Evanston, Ill.

Application April 26, 1'934, Serial No. 722,473

23 Claims.-

'Ihis invention relates to building constructions, and has reference more particularly to partition structures for use in buildings, together with their methods of erection.

which is independent of studsy or other vertical structural members. An object of this invention, therefore, isA to provide a partition construction and a method'I of erection which will be low in cost of erection. Another object of thev invention is to provide a partition structure of inexpensive nature which 'will have sufficient rigidity to'withstand sudden applied forces such as changes in atmospheric pressure; also to improve building constructions in other respects hereinafter specified and claimed. ,p

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of one embodiment of the self-supporting building board base or-'panel which forms the core of my partition construction. The panel is shown completely assembled and before the application of plaster thereto, the floor and ceiling being indii cated in section;

Fig, 2 is a transverse sectional view through V a partition during an intermediatestage of construction;`

g Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the finished partition; Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation showing a modiiied form of partition structure;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view through the p structure taken on lines --S of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective' view of a section of a device ada ted to serve as a base for supporting the partit on structure; i c

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a type of strap used in the device shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a modified form of strap similar to thats'hown in Fig. 7;

Fig; 9 is a', sectional view through a stiitening channel with board attaching clips in position;

tition (Cl. 'l2-46) Fig. 10 isa sectional view similar to Fig. 9. but showing an arrangement of clips for use about the edges of a partition; f Fig. 11 is a transversesectional view through a modied form of stiiening channel and clip arrangement; v

Fig. 12 is an elevation through a further modi-f yed form of partition structure;

' I Fig. 13 is a sectional elevation through the partition structure shown in Fig. 12; l

Fig. 14 is a sectional plan view through the partition shown in Fig. 12;

Fig. 15`is a sectional plan view through the partition structure shown in'Fig. 12. showing'an arrangement of electrical outlet boxes;

Fig. 16 is a sectional elevation showing a iur- I ther modied form of partition structure; Q

Fig. 17 is a transverse sectional view through i the partition structure showny in Fig. 16;

Fig.A 18 is a sectional elevation through the partition structure shown in Fig. 16

' Fig. 19 is a sectional plan view through a pair of intersecting partition structures of the type shown in Fig. 16;

Fig. 20 .is a sectional plan view through two intersecting partition structures of the type shown in Fig. 16; l

Fig. 21 is a sectional plan view through a fur ther modiiied form ofv partition structure;

Fig. 22 is a sectional elevation through the partition structurey shown in Fig. 21;

Fig. 23 is a sectional plan view through a rev inforcing strip used in the partition structure planar relation in a vertical planeto form a base or panel for the reception of layers ot plaster 3l and 32 and 3l and 32. on the faces thereof.

` The building boards may be oi' any of the materials well known to the art, such as gypsum board, with a gypsum core and paper cover sheet, fiber board made of vegetable or mineral iibers, etc. The boards are arranged; with their joints staggered as illustrated in Fig. 1, and at the junction oi the corners of two `boards with the middle of the adjacent board, a clip 33'is provided, said clip being arranged with outstanding fingers 34 forming opposed channels for engaging board having outstanding lingers 35 which form a board-receiving channel along one face of the clip. The ends 31 of the clip 35 are provided with suitable apertures 3l for receiving nails to attach the clip to the oor 39, said clips being also suitable for attachment to a ceiling 40 for supporting the upper edges of the partition-forming boards.

The boards are preferably arranged in a vertical plane lwith the length or machine direction of the board vertical and arranged in tiers with horizontal joints staggered. yThe plaster base thus erected is suiliciently rigid to bev self-supporting by reason of the fact that there is no continuous joint or plane of weakness'extending perpendicular to the -direction of principal stress. In a partitionof the usual proportions of height and length it is well known that the most eiective method of stiil'ening the partition is to provide stillness in a vertical direction. In erecting a plaster base without studs it is desirable to have the greatest stillness in a vertical direction or between iloor and ceiling. y

The strength and stitlness of plaster boards and fiber 'boards are markedly higher when stressed parallel to the machine vdirection of the board than when stressed perpendicular to the machine direction. This is due to the fact that the fibers in the paper on the plaster board and the fibers in ber board are largely orientated in a direction parallel to the machine direction. Like any fibrous material, these boards are strongest parallel to the length of the fibers. ,2. Therefore, the boards make the strongest and' stiffest plaster base and partition when ltheir fibers are parallel 'to the principal stresses in the partition. Also the resistance to bending when wet is markedly greater parallel to the fibers. The boards absorb water from the scratch coats; then, due to the weight of the wet still-plastic plaster acting in a vertical direction, they have a tendency to buckle and sag out of a vertical plane. This tendency is best resisted when the machine direction of the board is parallel to this stress. y

Stiifness and rigidity is also enhanced by staggering the joints as I have done in my preferred form of partition.

After the layers of plaster 3|. and 32. are applied to both faces of the board, the,` partition is very rigid and is not easily flexed by the sudden application of the weight of a person or by a sudden change in atmospheric pressure, such as that caused by opening andgclosing of doors. However, in applying the rstplaster layers 3l and 32, it may be desirable to use temporary stiifeners 41 and 42|. which are secured to the plaster base as'by nailing fromithe opposite side of the board 35 into the stiener with nails 43. Vertical stiifeners 42 are applied to one sideL of the partition and horizontal stiifeners 42. to the opposite side.

These stiffeners may be 1" x 2" wood strips applied on edge. They need not extend in one piece the full height or width of the partition. Ends 'of the stiil'eners should be lapped t give continuous stiffness. The function of the stifteners is to hold the plaster base rigid against the pressure of the trowel and to prevent any warping or sagging of the plaster base due to the wetting action of the scratch coats 3| and 32 and lsubsequent pull of the plaster as it sets.

' After the scratch coats 3l and 32 have set the stiifeners 42 and 42. are removed and the partition is then suiliciently rigid to permit application got f aoaavea.

the following layers of plaster 3 I. and 52., known as the brown coats, without the use of further stiifening means. The white or finish coats 3| and 32s are applied to the coats`3| and 32. to complete the partition. These three coats, namely, the scratch coat, the brown coat, and the finish coat, bring the wall thickness, to 11/2" or 2", so asito provide a rigid monolithic partition of durable construction.-

I n order to further increase the rigidity of the partition, which may be desired under certain conditions, stiifening channels 52, as illustrated in Fig. 5, may be interposed between the board edgesat intervals of every, say, three rows of boardsaid channels extending vertically and preferablybeing somewhat shorter than necessary to reach at top and bottom to the ceiling 45 and floor 39, respectively. The channels 52 are prefy erably of steel and have outstanding flanges 53 along each edge which extend parallel to the plane of the partition, the web of said channel extending at right angles to said plane.

In order to secure the boards to the channels 52, I provide a plurality of clips 54 which have outstandingV pairs of fingers 55 for forming `a channel toreceive the edges of the building boards 5U. 'Ihe clips 54 rest in abutting relation against the webs of channels 52 and are held thereagainst by means of straps 55, which are preferably U- shaped in cross section and have outstanding legs 5l which are adaptedto embrace the channel anges 53. The straps 55 argdepressed as shown in Fig. 'I to contact with theb of the channels on the side of the channel carrying the flanges 53, or said straps 55 may be straight as shown in Fig. 8 to contact with the web ofthe channels on the face of the channel opposite the flanges 53.

It is often desirable to embed electrical conduits 55 in the layer of plaster 5I and for this reason some of the building boards 59 are oifset from the plane of the remainder of the boards to give room for said conduits 55. In order to position the clips 54 in offset relation relative to the clips on the opposite side of the channel 52, I provide notches 55 along each edge of the strap 55, said notches 55 engaging about the edges of fingers 55 for positioning purposes. The clip ends 5| are clipped off along one side to form shoulders 52 which lie adjacent one of the flanges 53 to permit the offset positioning of said clip 54. The strap attaching means 55 is preferred since it permits the use of standardv stiener channels 52 which can be purchased locally in any locality wher-e the partition is to "be constructed. vHowever, in certain cases itmay be found desirable -to attach the clips 54 to the channel 52 by means of rivets 53, by spot-welding, or the like, in which case the clips 54 would be assembled on the chan- 42. are removed and a second layer of plasterr` 54 and 54. is applied (see Fig. 5), in order to provide a.-V finished partition, as previously described. Channels 55 may be run along the bottom of the partition to receive the bottom edges of the board, clips 35 being used along the ceiling 4I to receive the top edges of the boards forming in part the partition. vGrounds 'or nailing strips 51 may be provided at intervals along the bottom of the partition r'or use in the attachment Vof base boards 68. These grounds 61 pref- Y erably extend vertically to insure the application of plasterto the extreme bottom of the partition, but, if desired, a ground strip may be applied horizontally (Fig. 13) for the'same purpose.

The building boards 50 are preferably provided with perforations 10 which extend' completely through the same. These perforations are preferably spaced 4" on centers and spaced 2"' from all of the edges of the board. The perforations are preferably in diameter so as to -permit a key of plaster 1| to pass completely through the boards when the first layer of plaster 45 is applied and form ahead 12 (Fig. 14) on the far side of the board. The exact dimensions and spacing of the perforations 10 may be varied somewhat, but the optimum' condition for 4proper plaster application is more specifically described in the patent to C. K. Roos, No. 1,938,354. When the second coat of plaster 13 is applied to the far side ofthe boards, it attaches itself to the heads 12 and thus the two layers of plaster 45 and 13 become united through the boards to' form a monolithic construction. This perforated type of board is especially desirable when used on this particular type of partition because the heads 12 not only attach themselves to the layer of plaster 13, but aid materially in enabling 'the plasterer to -properly trowel the plaster layer 13 on the far plaster face exposed to a fire will, after being calcined, fall away from the partition and allow the heat of the re to strike through to the core and back plaster face. If the core or plaster base is a combustible material, such as ber board, the core will burn and add fuel to` lire a1- ready present. In the case ofva non-combustible plaster'base such as plaster board, the heat will strike through the core, calcine the back plaster face, and cause it to crumble. When both plaster faces are tied together, as by the perforations 10 in my preferred type oi partition, the plaster face exposed to the ilre is held in place by virtue of the keys extending into the plaster on the opposite side of the partition. The exposed plaster face remains intact and shields the plaster base from diil'ers from those previously described in that metal stiiener channels 16 are located completely outside the plane of boards 11. In this form of partition one layer ofplaster 18 on.one side of the board 11 is thinner than the layerof plaster 19 on the other face of the board so as to give space for the passage of electrical conduits'80 up through the thicklayer of plaster 19. Special In a partition in which both faces of plaster are not tied together the` clips 8| are secured, as by spot-welding, to outstanding fingers-82 of board connecting clips 83, the clips 8| being bent around the channel 16 at the time of erection to hold said channel in position adjacent theA face of the boards 11. In this form of partition, horizontal ground strips 84 may be attached to the boards 11, the space below said ground strips 84 being also lled with plaster 85.

' Figs. 19 and 20 illustrate methods of attaching one partition to another at the corner o f a room. In Fig. 19, a clip 86 is attached, as by spot-welding, to fingers 81 of a clip 88, so that fingers 89 on clip 8 6 extend at right angles to the fingers 81 forming channels for the reception of the boards -11 at the lcorner of thev room. A corner bead 90 of any standard design, may be attached to the boards 11 by wiring 9 I. In ,the intersecting partition shown in Fig. 20, a channel 93 extends along the face `of boards 94 forming a longitudinal partition.. Clips 95 consist of lingers 96 extending from base 96 and are secured to board 94 by means of a wire 91, saidclips 95 .with the outstanding fingers 98 forming a channel for the reception of boards 99 which extend at right angles to the boards 94.

In the form of partition shown in Figs. 21 to 24, I utilize what I term a screed stiffener strip which is preferably of metal. It extends vertically and in length is somewhat less than the height of the partition to be constructed, the edges of said strip being reversely bent to form flanges lill. Boards |02 extend in both directions from the stiffener strip |00, being held in position by means of clips |03 having ngers itt extending through openings |05 formed in the strip |00. Since each of the clips H03 has a number of fingers |04, a plurality of said openings are provided in one group located adjacent the ends of the boards. A plurality of perforations |06 pass through .the screed strip |00 andthe anges ||l| to give proper keying of the plaster through the edges of said strip, thus preventing cracking of the plaster adjacent said strip. The edges of the-strip |00 serve as screeds to insure a plane surface on the brown coat of plaster and thus aid the plasterer in constructing the partitions. The strip |00 has considerable longitudinal stiffness transversely of its plane so as to impartthe necessary stiffness to the boardsl |02- to the conduit 50 and is embedded in the plaster 41. The boards 50 are slotted below the box l09 to give clearance for the conduit 56. A U-shaped strap I0 is connected to the box v|09 by bolts I l l the ends ||2 of said strap lying in abutting relation against the boards 50. Wires ||3 pass through one of the perforations 10 and connect toa strap v||4 so as to attach said box |09 to boards prior to the application of the plaster 41. A similar arrangement is used in the partition shown in Fig. 21 except that a strap ||5 has ends 6 which are wired to the near side of boards |02. In the form of partitio'n shown in Fig. 17, the conduit 80 has an offset ||1 to pass along the boards outside Aof the plane thereof.

While AI have described more or less precisely the details of constructiomI do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I contemplate changes in form, the proportionate parts, and the substitution of equivalents, as .circumstances may suggest or render expedient,

without departing from the spirit of my invention. r Having thus `described my invention, I cla as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:-

1. 'I'he method of erecting afpartition, which comprises arranging plaster boards edge to edge in a substantially vertical plane with joints broken, connecting said boards together, providing one side of said boards with stiifening members, applying a plaster coating to the other side of said boards, and then applying a coating of plaster to the first mentioned side of said boards.

2. 'I'he method of erecting a partition, which comprises arranging plaster boards edge to edge in a substantially vertical plane with joints broken, connecting said boards together during erection by means of metallic clips, providing one side of said boards with temporary stiiening members, applying a plaster coating to the other side of said boards, removing said' stiiieners, and then applying a coating of plaster to the iirst mentioned side of said boards.

3. The method of erecting a partition which comprises arranging building boards in vertical tiers, with horizontal joints broken, :fixing the ends of said boards to substantially the central portion of the edges oi adjacent boards so as to form a self-supporting substantially vertical assembly, the applying of temporary stiieners on one or both sides of the plaster base, and then applying a scratch coat of plaster to both sides of said base, removing the temporary stiffeners after the scratch coat has set, and applying nishing coats to said scratch coats to form a rigid partition.

4. 'I'he method of erecting a partition which comprises arranging building boards in horizontal courses and breaking joints, the applyingof temporary stiileners on one or both sides of the plaster base, and then applying a scratch coat of plaster to both sides of said base, removing the temporary stiieners after the scratch coat has set, and applying iinishing coats to said scratch coats to form a rigid partition.

5. The method of Aerecting a partition which comprises arranging perforated building boards in horizontal courses andY breaking joints, the applying of temporary stifleners on one or both sides of the plaster base, and then applying a scratch coat of plaster to both sides of said base, removing the temporary stiieners after the scratch coat has set, and applying finishing coats to said scratch coats to form a rigid partition.

' 6. A partition consti action, comprising a core of rectangular, perforated building boards arranged edgeto edge with the horizontal joints broken and the major axes of said boards extending vertically, attaching members connecting the edges of said boards to maintain said boards in coplanar relation during erection, and a layer of plaster applied to each face of said boards and connecting through the periorations thereof to provide a monolithic, rigid partition.

7. A partition construction, comprisinga core of rectangular, perioratedbuilding boards arranged edge to edge with the joints broken and the major axes of said boards extending horizontally, attaching members connecting the edges of said boards, steners associated with saidboiu'dstomaintainsltidboald-Sinc oplalml'v relationaand a. layer of plaster applied to each tace of said boards and'connecting through the pertorations thereof to provide a monolithic, rigid partition.

8. A. partition construction, comprising a core of building boards arranged edge to edge with the joints broken,l some of said boards being in a plane different from that of other boards, at-

taching members connecting the edges of said boards, a conduit extending along said first mentioned boards, and a layer of plaster applied to each face of said boards and covering said conduit to provide a monolithic, rigid partition.

9. A partition construction, comprising a core of building boards arranged edge to edge with the joints broken, stiilener metallic channels extending vertically betw'een some of said board joints, some of said boards between said channels being olset and lying in a plane different from that of the other boards, attaching members connecting said boards and channels, a conduit extending along said olset boards, an electrical outlet box secured to said offset boards and connected to said conduit, and a layer of plaster applied to each face of said boards and covering said conduit to provide a monolithic, rigid partition.

10. In a partition structure, a metallic channel arranged with the web thereof extending at right angles to the plane of the partition, metall lic clips secured to opposite sides of said web and having outstanding ngers forming channels for the reception of the edges of building boards, the clips on one side of said web being located near the center line of said web, the clips on the opposite side of said web being located a substantial distance from the center line of said web so as to offset some of said boards from the plane of the remaining boards, a conduit extendingalong said oifset boards, and a layer of plaster applied toeach face of said boards so as to form a rigid, monolithic partition.

11. In a partition structure, a metallic channel arranged with the web thereof extending at right angles to the plane of the partition, metallic clips secured to opposite sides of said web and having outstanding ngers forming channels for the reception of the edges of building boards, metallic straps embracing said channel and securing said clips to said channel, and means in said straps permitting positioning of clips substantially in the center of said web or offset to either side of the center.

12. A partition structure, comprising a core of building boards arranged edge to edge with horizontal joints broken, metallic strips of substan' tially the same width as the thickness of the partition disposed in some of the vertical joints, each of said strips having perforations at intervals along its length substantially in the center of the width of the strip to allow the tongues ofclips used in attaching adjacent building boards to pass through said metallic strip, and a layerl "building boards arranged edge to edge with joints broken, clips connecting the edges of said boards, base board nailing strips attached to one o'r both faces of said boards near the bottom of said partition, said nailing strips extending substantially vertically, a layer of plaster applied to each stiilener member adjacent the other face ofsaid second panel, attaching means engaging the edge of said one panel, and means connecting said stiifener and attaching means and binding said panels into relatively iixed relationship. e

I 16. A thin .monolithic iire resistant wall structure comprising perforated plaster lxoardsfin closely adjacent substantially coplanar relation, means connecting the vertical edges together in a manner to provide a self-supporting panel and totransfer lateral stress from the ends of the boards to intermediate the ends of-` adjacent boards, a plaster coating each side of said plaster boards and extending through said perforations to form an integral plaster unit enclosing said boards, the plaster perforations being arranged to retard calcination of the' plaster v therein considerably beyond that ofthe surface plaster when the structure is subjected to continued high temperatures, and to retain the surface plaster be- Y tween perforatlons after the surface plaster has calcined.

17. 'Ihe method of erecting a thin lire resistant l.

partition, which comprises arranging perforated building boardsin a substantially vertical plane.

- with horizontal joints broken, connecting the adjacent .vertical edges of said boards together in a manner to transfer lateral stress from. the endA of one board to the vertical side o'f an adjacent board, Vproviding one side of Said boards lwith stifrening members, applying a cementitious coating to one side of said boards with sufficient pressure to-iill the perforations and to extend beyond the opposite surface, thenv applying a coating to the first mentioned side` of said bo'ards to form an integral cementitious covering.

18. A thin wall construction comprising a core of relatively thin building boards arranged edge to edge in vertical tiers with the horizontal joints broken, and relatively light attaching members connecting the vertical edges of said boards adjacent their ends and intermediate their ends to provide a transfer of lateral stress from the joint of two abuttingboards to the side of an adjacent board and remote from the end thereof, `and a layer of plaster applied to each face of said core to provide a monolithic, rigid partition.

19. A thinfire resistant wall structure comprising a substantially rigid coreA formed of perforated plaster board units assembled in substantially coplanar self-'Supporting relation',

^ means connecting said\boards together in horizontal staggered relation wherebythe linesof greatestresistance to lateral stress are in a v ertical plane, a thin plaster coating covering each side of said core and completely lling said per- 1 forations to provide plaster bonds therein and to 4 l providea monolithic structure when said plaster is set, said lines of greatest resistance vand said perforations and4 plaster bonds thereincombining to prevent saggingpor distortion of said wall 'while the plaster is setting and to provide ef recnveme resistant channel-:monteersetting.

20. A relatively very thin,'reresistant monolithic wall structure comprising perforated plas- `boards to a point intermediate the ends of an adjacent board, a thin coating of building plaster applied to each side of the'plaster boards and completely illling said perforations to form an integral unit With said boards, said perforations being of sufficient size and arrangement to distributelateral stresses in a manner to materially reduce the tendency of the plaster to crack at the joints of the boards, and to retard calcination of the plaster bonds therein considerably beyond that of the surface plaster when either side is subjected to continued high temperature and `to retain the surface plaster intact after the surface plaster has calcined.

2 1.` A :thin monolithic self-supporting fire resistant wall structure comprising a self-supporting core formed of perforated plaster board units in parallel coplanar tiers, means connecting the ture 4ctnnprising a core formed of fabric covered perforated plaster board units in coplanar relation, means attaching theedgesof said boards together to form a self-supporting thin core, said boards having comparatively large widely spaced perforations, a thin plaster coating on each sur- 'face of said core to form a thin wall and filling said perforations to form bonds between said coatings of suiilcient size to materially resist cal- 40 cination, the size and spacing 'of said perforavtions being related to enable the bonds to retain /between adjacent perforations a comparatively large area of theplaster coating calcined by heat on one sidesof the wall whereby the fabric after 45 carbonizing is retained intact 4to form a` layer of insulation and whereby the plaster and fabric on the opposite side are held intact.

23. A thin monolithic ilre resistant wall struc- Y. ture comprising a core formed of perforated wall 50 board units in coplanar relation, said boards having easily carbonized surfaces, means attaching the edgesv of said boards together to form a selfsupporting thin' core, said boards having commnuvely large widen spaced pez-formons, 'a 55 thin plaster'coating on each'surface of, said core to form a' thin wall andillling said perforations to form bonds between said coatings of suilicient size to materially resist calcina'tion, the size and spacing of said perforations being related to enable the bonds to vretain between adjacent perforations a comparatively large area of the plaster coating calcined by heat on vone side of the wall whereby the surface after carbonizing is retained intact to form 'alayer of insulation and whereby 05 z the plaster and surface on'ithe opposite side is heid intact.

. JOHN PAGE. 

